Travel is a key indicator of consumer confidence in the economy, and according to Travelocity, marketers and advertisers have reason to smile. It finds that 49% of Americans plan to increase their travel in 2010 compared to the prior year. That is up from 21% six months ago, and only 10% in 2009. Meanwhile, the proportion planning to decrease its amount of travel fell to only 7%, down from 34% in 2009.
While most travelers (56%) do not have a set budget for travel in 2010, 34% of those who do say it is greater than it was in 2009.
Even though Americans are traveling again, they’re still pinching pennies. More than three quarters (76%) will likely book a packaged vacation as a way to save. However, many will also spend more if there is a deal to be had: a third (33%) would stay in a higher rated hotel, 30% would book a trip they had not expected to take, and 18% would extend their stay to take advantage of deals.
Eco-Travel
More than four in 10 travelers (42%) are “green” travelers — self-described as being concerned about the environment — according to Community Marketing Inc. Green travelers have the same motivations as other travelers: 58% made their most recent trip for rest and relaxation. Most (55%) travel to visit friends and family, 49% to explore their destination city, and 40% to engage in a particular activity in the region.
Green travelers are motivated primarily by their overall concern for the environment (81%), but also specifically by global warming (51%), their interest in supporting businesses that engage in sustainable practices (40%), personal health concerns (37%), and their children’s future (25%).
Despite their interest in eco-friendly travel, only a slight majority of green travelers (54%) took what they considered to be a “greener” vacation in the prior year. That number is likely low because most green travelers cannot name an eco-friendly airline (65%) or hotel (60%).
They define green travel as:
• Incorporating eco-friendly hotels that use renewable energy sources, recycles, and reuses linens instead of daily washing (87%);
• Relying on mass transit (60%);
• Sourcing from local businesses (50%);
• Incorporating companies that donate to environmental causes (45%);
• Including carbon neutral offsets built into pricing (38%); and
• Incorporating companies that have qualified for third-party green certification (32%).
With green travelers most commonly defining eco-friendly travel based on their hotel choices, it is logical that the vast majority (86%) always participate in the hotel’s green initiative, such as reusing towels or using in-room recycling. Nearly four in 10 (39%) claim a hotel’s green initiative is more important than the brand of hotel, and 30% say it is more important than its star rating. However, only 10% say it is more important than price, and a mere 8% say it is more important than location.
More than two thirds of green travelers (68%) plan to shop for greener travel and destinations in the future, and 24% will make it a priority to visit environmentally-threatened areas, such as Mt. Kilimanjaro, Antarctica, and parts of Alaska. One in five (20%) would pay more to visit green destinations.
Travel and Social Networking
Most travelers (59%) visit social networks, finds YPartnership. Nearly half of those who do upload photos and videos to their profiles (49%), and 46% rate products and services they have used. A small proportion also uses such sites to seek out information for travel, including:
• Asking for advice about a destination (11%);
• Asking for advice about a travel service provider (8%);
• Learning about travel deals (6%);
• Getting updates on destinations and travel service providers (5%); and
• Joining communities with like travel interests (5%). [Travel/Tourism, Environment]
Sources: “Traveler Confidence Report,” Travelocity, Amanda Borichevsky (Vollmer PR), 3150 Sabre Dr., Southlake, TX 76092; amanda@vollmerpr.com; www.travelocity.com. Price: Available upon request at no charge.
“Green Traveler Study,” Community Marketing Inc., David Paisley, 584 Castro St., #834, San Francisco, CA 94115; 415-437-3800; david@communitymarketinginc.com; www.communitymarketinginc.com. Price: Call for information.
“TravelHorizons,” YPartnership, Amanda Jackson, 423 S. Keller Rd., #100, Orlando, FL 32810; 407-838-1812; amanda.jackson@ypartnership.com; www.ypartnership.com. Price: $3,200 for U.S. Travel Industry Association members; $4,000 for non-members.
U.S. Travel Industry Association, Cathy Keefe, 1100 New York Ave. NW, #450, Washington, DC 20005; 202-408-8422; ckeefe@tia.org; www.tia.org.
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